According to New York-based Etiquette International, the term “toasting” comes from the Latin “tostus,” which means parched or roasted. It has origins in the Roman practice of putting a piece of burned bread into a goblet of wine to mellow its, ahem, robust flavor.

So, why do we clink glasses? Drinking lore suggests that the sound of clinking glasses drives away any evil spirits in the wine; other experts believe it developed as a way to preserve contact during celebration, since people no longer drink from a communal goblet. We like that theory.

You would drive by it if you didn’t know what you were looking for. Tucked away in this Alameda neighborhood full of track houses and tidy lawns is the Evil Geniuses training facility. Unassuming on the outside, the beige-colored home hosts the e-sports organization’s “” team, one of the top squads in the world. Inside the living room, monitors and...

HAYWARD — When it comes to entering the professional world, Alex Baker says he and other Cal State East Bay staff members know how important it is to dress for success at job interviews, where appearances on paper and in person matter the most. For some students, particularly those facing food or housing issues, borrowing or buying clothes for that...